Electrical clamp



Oct. '26, 1937; 1.. L. CRUMP 2,096,790

ELEC TRICAL CLAMP Filed March 9, 1936 Awzwrwa LL (Ex/Mp By zm Arm/aw Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CLAMP Lindell Lloyd 01 11111 to James R. Kearne Kirkwood, Mo., assignor y Corporation, St. Louis,

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to electrical clamps of the type adapted for mechanically and electrically connecting electrical tapoiT wires to electrical lines, and more specifically to a clamp of this type which is made of spring material and so constructed and arranged that the inherent resiliency of the clamp will serve to mechanically clamp the clamp structure to an electrical line, the predominant object of the inven- 0 .tion being to provide a clamp 01 the sort mentioned which, While of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, efiiciently performs its intended function.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of the improved clamps showing same applied toan electrical line.

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the clamp illustrated in Fig. 1, the electrical line being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the clamp on a reduced scale, showing by full lines and dotted lines the manner of applying the improved clamp to an electrical line.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the improved clamp being removed from an electrical line.

In the drawing, wherein is shown for the purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates the improved clamp generally. The clamp A is preferably formed from a single piece of material, for instance, a single length of copperweld wire, which is shaped to produce the clamp. By referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the opposite ends of the length of material of which the clamp is formed abut against each other at the point designated by the reference character A.

The length of material of whichthe clamp is formed is shaped to provide a pair of parallel portions I and l Which at their upper ends merge into outwardly and upwardly inclined portions 2 and 2 From the outer ends of the portions '42 and 2 convergent portions 3 and 3 are extended, and at the upper ends of these convergent portions the length of material of which the clamp is formed is shaped to provide a pair of coils 4 and 4 the portion 3 merging into the coil 4 and the portion 3 merging into the coil 4 It is to be noted, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, that the coils 4 and. 4 curve rearwardly from the junctions of said coils and the portions 3 and 3*. Extended downwardly and forwardly from the coils 4 and 4 respectively, are slightly divergent portions 5 and 5 of the length of material of which the clamp is formed, and at their lower ends these portions are curved outwardly and are joined by r a loop portion 6. It is to be noted that the por- I tions E and l and the portions 5 and 5 are arranged in crossed relation at a point immediately beneath the coils 4 and 4* when the clamp is viewed in side elevation, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. At the lower end of the clamp a loop 1 is formed in the lower extensions of the portions l and I, this loop being preferably shaped as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. The portions I and i are clampingly embraced by a sleeve 8 at a point just above the loop 7, and the abutting 15 end portions of the length of material of which the clamp is formed are located within this sleeve, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to mechanically and electrically connect a tapofi conductor T (see Figs. 4 and 5 to the clamp A, I employ a suitable electrical connector C which is mount ed on the lower extension of the portion I of the clamp. This electrical connector serves in a well known manner to securely attach the tapoif conductor to the clamp so that secure mechanical and efiicient electricalconnection between the clamp and the tapofi conductor is provided.

In describing the use of the improved clamp disclosed herein, it will be assumed that the electrical conductor L, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, is an energized, overhead power line to which it is desired to electrically connect a tapofif conductor T. To so connect the clamp A to the energized, overhead power line L an insulated stick S is employed, this insulated stick being provided at a point adjacent to its upper end with a transversely extended pin S. The pin S of the insulated stick S is extended through the coils l and 4 of the clamp and, with the aid 40 of the stick, the clamp suspended from the transverse pin of the insulated stick with the tapoff conductor T connected thereto is elevated to a point where the looped bottom of the outwardly curved lower portions of the portions 5 and 5 are above the power line. The clamp is then moved downwardly and seated on the power line, the curved lower portions of the portions 5 and 5 and the portions l and I contacting with the power line as shown in Fig. 4. At this point it is pointed out that the resiliency of the coils 4 and 4 tends to move the portions 5 and 5' toward the portions l and l as indicated in Fig. 4. With the clamp seated on the power line as described above and as shown in Fig. 4, the

transverse pin S withdrawn from the coils of the insulated stick S is 4 and l and said transverse pin is introduced into the loop 1 at the lower end of the clamp (see Fig. 4). The

clamp is then pulled downwardly with the aid of the insulated stick with respect to the power line L, whereby the portions 5 and 5 and the portions l and l rwill be spread apart against the action of the coils 4 and A and the clamp is drawn to a position where crossed portions of V the clamp immediately beneath the coils seat against the power line, as shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 4. When place on the power line as ency of the coils 4 and 4 to move the portions 5 and 5 toward the portions l and I provides very close contact and efiicient electrical connection between the clamp and the power line. 7

When it is desired to the power line,'the transverse pin S of the inthe clamp is seated'insulated'stick S is introduced into the coils 4 and "4 and the clamp is elevated with the aid of the insulated stick until the clamp is freed from the power line, when said clamp may be spect to theportion of the first-mentioned clamping portion upwardly of the curved lower end portion thereof, substantially parallel portions extended downwardly from the secondmentioned clamping portion a considerable distance below the lower end of the first-mentioned clamping portion, and a tool-receiving loop arranged at the lower ends of said substantially parallel portions, the axis of the upper looped portion and the axis of the tool-receiving loop being substantially parallel,

described, the tendremove the clamp from 2. A clamp formed from a single length of resilient material which includes a coiled portion at its upper end, opposed clamping portions extended from said coiled portion to which said coiled portion tends to impart clamping movement, one of said opposed clamping portions being in the form of a narrow elongated loop having an outwardly'curved lower end portion, and the other of said opposed clamping portions being extended in substantial parallelism with respect to the portion of the first-mentioned clamping portion upwardly of the curved lower end portion thereof, substantially parallel portions extended downwardly from the second-mentioned clamping portion out of alinenrent therewith a considerable distance below the lower end of the first-mentioned clamping portion, and a tool-receiving loop arranged at the lower ends of said substantially parallel portions, the axis of the upper looped portion and the axis of the tool-:'

receiving loo-p being substantially parallel.

3.A clamp formed from a single length of resilient material which includes a coiled portion at its upper end, opposed clam-ping portions extended from said coiled portion to which said coiled portion tends to impart clamping movement, one of said opposed clamping portions be-v ing in the form of a'narrow elongated loop having an outwardly curved lower end portion, and the other of said opposed-clamping portions being extended in substantial parallelism with respect to the portion of the first-mentioned clamping portion upwardly of, the curved lower end por- 7 tion thereof, substantially parallel portions extended downwardly from the second-mentioned clamping portion out of alinement therewith a considerable distance below the lower end of the first-mentioned clamping portion, a tool-receiving loop arranged at the lower ends of said substantially parallel portions, the axis of the upper looped portion and the axis of the tool-receiving loop being substantially parallel, and a sleeve parallel portions of the clamp and enclosing the ends of the length of material of which the clamp is formed. 7

LLO CRUMP,

embracing the downwardly extended substantial 

